From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishbugbug1 /bʌɡ/ ●●○ S3 noun [countable] 1 informalILLNESS/DISEASE an illness that people catch very easily from each other but is not very seriouscatch/pick up/get a bug I picked up a bug last weekend. There’s a nasty bug going round (=that a lot of people have caught).tummy/stomach bug (=illness affecting your stomach) He’s off work with a stomach bug. a 24-hour flu bug► see thesaurus at illness2 especially American EnglishHBI a small insect3 FAULT/something WRONGa fault in the system of instructions that operates a computer a bug in the software → debug► see thesaurus at fault4 LISTENa small piece of electronic equipment for listening secretly to other people’s conversations5 informalINTERESTED a sudden strong interest in doing somethingthe travel/sailing etc bug She’s got the travel bug. I had one flying lesson and immediately caught the bug (=became very interested in flying).COLLOCATIONSADJECTIVES/NOUN + bug a nasty/horrible bugIt was a really nasty bug.a stomach bug (also a tummy bug more informal)He’s off school with a stomach bug.a flu bugWe’ve all had a horrible flu bug.a 24-hour/2-day etc bugThe doctor says it’s just a 24-hour bug.verbshave a bugTwo of us had a nasty bug on holiday.catch/get a bugSix out of ten travellers get a stomach bug abroad.pick up a bug (=catch one)He seems to pick up every bug going.a bug is going around (=a lot of people have it)A lot of staff are off because there’s a bug going round.
Examples from the Corpus
bug• Some chips contained a bug that caused computers to crash frequently.• Learning a lesson Resistance to vancomycin already has created a smaller monster of a bug that had been virtually harmless, enterococcus.• Also, liquid nitrogen has a temperature of -196°C, which is enough to freeze the fur off any hardy carpet bug.• The collecting bug often bites early.• The program suffers from some minor bugs, but is still better than the first version.• Or a bigger Bio2 with many more bugs and birds and berries?• In fact most outstanding problems were ironed out over the last couple of months, Goldstein says; bug fixing remains.• Some bug in the program meant when I typed in a letter I go a number instead.• I never knew this until he said it, but I suppose he saw some of my performances and caught the bug.• I think I've picked up the bug that's been going round the office.• The bug, called enterococcus, lives in the nasal passages and intestines of many healthy people, causing no harm.• Within years their cotton plants were decimated by a tiny bug and the Sutherlands resigned themselves to a meagre living from farming.• Gemima's been off school with a tummy bug this week.• Young schoolkids are always catching various bugs.flu bug• Unfortunately a flu bug attacked most of the crew during this week which clouded our impressions of Shetland.• Only replacement back Kenny Logan was an absentee, confined to bed suffering from the 24-hour flu bug.• Unfortunately, although a good time was had by all, a number of the team picked up a strange flu bug.• United have just about shaken off the flu bug and are back to more or less full strength.caught the bug• I never knew this until he said it, but I suppose he saw some of my performances and caught the bug.• Karen says that her mum used to compete as a swimmer, so she took it up and caught the bug.• And when pyramid schemes began to appear in the last few years, nearly everyone caught the bug.• Why had she caught the Bug?• The whole team caught the bug and you know the rest. bugbug2 verb (bugged, bugging) [transitive] 1 informalANNOY to annoy someone It just bugs me that I have to work so many extra hours for no extra money. The baby’s crying is really bugging him.2 LISTENto put a bug (=small piece of electronic equipment) somewhere secretly in order to listen to conversations Do you think the room is bugged?→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
bug• Wells was convinced the house was bugged and insisted on playing loud music while we talked.• The FBI had bugged his apartment.• You know what bugs me? Getting a call from a telephone salesman right when I sit down to dinner.• It really bugs me when I can't remember someone's name.• It really bugs me when the car behind me drives too close.• How much my responsibility for my sister bugs me.• Security agents bugged their offices and managed to get some evidence against them.• Wichman also prepared a training manual for prospective passengers by interviewing astronauts and cosmonauts about the things that bugged them.• And she bugs you about H. G. Wells.BugBug noun American English infml a Beetle (=type of small Volkswagen car)From Longman Business Dictionarybugbug /bʌg/ noun [countable] COMPUTING a fault in the system of instructions that operates a computerCustom-made software is often more reliable and has fewer ‘bugs’ or faults. → Millennium bugOrigin bug1 (1600-1700) Perhaps from bug “evil spirit, scarecrow” ((14-18 centuries)) 